300+ Hypothyroidism Symptoms…Yes REALLY

Who knew that little butterfly-shaped thyroid gland at the base of our necks could affect our lives so completely? Don’t underestimate the power of that little gland. It is the master control center for the metabolic functions of every single cell in your body. Therefore it has the power to disrupt every part of your body and to produce profound changes in every aspect of your life. Scientific research links hypothyroidism to heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, gall bladder disease, liver disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. According to the World Health Organization, there are 750 million people in the world with thyroid dysfunction. Over half are presumed to be unaware of their condition. Despite research connecting an underactive thyroid to some of the deadliest diseases of our time, the hypothyroidism epidemic sweeping across the globe has gone largely unrecognized by the mainstream medical community. Are you sure you are ready for this long pathetic list of symptoms?

My hope is that this post finds the millions of people worldwide who are not aware of their condition. They are suffering from multiple health complications but they have no clue their thyroid is to blame. Their doctors are prescribing medication after medication for illnesses that could be treated by addressing the underlying hypothyroidism. It is a tragedy.

Then there are those who have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and treated with thyroid hormone replacement medication, however they still suffer from many of the symptoms on this list. Their doctors have no idea the real reason for their ill health is the improperly treated hypothyroidism. They too are being prescribed multiple medications for conditions that could be treated by proper thyroid treatment. Others are mistakenly considered hypochondriacs and prescribed sleeping pills and anti-depressants by their doctors. Others are told their symptoms are just part of normal aging and shrugged off as unimportant. Doctors are relying solely on laboratory tests for diagnosis, not investigating fully the patient’s medical history, symptoms, family history and thorough physical exams. Does this sound like you? It may be time to change doctors.

The following individuals and organizations are some of the top thyroid health experts in the world. My list of 300+ symptoms is a compilation of their lists of hypothyroid symptoms along with additional symptoms I have found in my research.

Every person will present with a different combination of symptoms. The severity of each person’s hypothyroidism will also determine the severity and number of symptoms they experience. Untreated hypothyroidism worsens with age with worsening symptoms. Don’t be led to believe that symptoms from this list are not connected to hypothyroidism, because they may be in your case, even if your doctor doesn’t know it.

Do you suffer from any of these symptoms?

Are you prescribed medications for symptoms listed below? Are you sure your doctor is aware of the connection of these symptoms to hypothyroidism?

Are you being treated with thyroid replacement medication but still suffering symptoms?

Do you have a family history of thyroid disease, heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disease, cancer and/or Alzheimer’s? Please read on.

The Unbelievably Long List of Hypothyroidism Symptoms

Energy Level and Sleep:

Chronic fatigue

Less stamina than others

Long recovery period after any activity

Inability to concentrate

Sleep apnea

Snoring

Insomnia

Need naps in the afternoon

Weakness

Wake feeling tired

Frequently oversleep

Weight:

Weight gain

Inability to lose weight

Ascites (abdominal fluid accumulation)

Metabolic Syndrome

Weight loss

Anorexia

Heightened appetite

Diminished appetite

Obesity

Body Temperature:

Cold extremities

Cold sweats

Night sweats

Heat intolerance

Cold intolerance

Internal shivering

Hypothermia

Cold hands

Clammy palms

Cold feet

Excessive perspiration

Little perspiration

Low basal body temperature (below 97.8 degrees Fahrenheit)

Slowness:

Slow movements

Slowed Achilles reflex

Diminished reflexes

Slow speech

Infections:

Frequent infections

Chronic illness

Low immune system

Frequent colds

Frequent flus

Susceptibility to bronchitis

Hard time recovering from infections

Recurrent sinus infections

Recurrent skin infections

Recurrent ear infections

Recurrent nose infections

Recurrent throat infections

Candida (yeast)

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Repeated urinary tract infections

Upper respiratory tract infections

Related Autoimmune or Endocrine Diseases:

Hashimoto’s disease

Graves’ disease

Celiac disease

Type 1 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes

Insulin Resistance

Addison’s disease

Cushing’s disease

Pernicious Anemia

Premature ovarian decline

Premature ovarian failure

Alopecia

Reynaud’s syndrome

Sjögren’s syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Rheumatoid arthritis

Systemic lupus erythematosus

Multiple sclerosis

Sarcoidosis

Scleroderma

Vitiligo

Psoriasis

Swelling and Thickened Skin of:

Eyes

Face

Lips

Neck

Hands

Arms

Legs

Feet

Ankles

Lymphedema

Lipodema

Mouth and Throat:

Difficulty swallowing

Sensation of lump in throat

Sensation of pressure on throat

Pain and tenderness in neck and/or thyroid area

Difficulty taking deep breath

Goiter

Thyroid nodule

Burning sensation in throat

Sore throats

Swollen tongue

Choking fits

Distorted sense of taste (Dysgeusia)

Salt cravings

Sweet cravings

Speech problems

Dry mouth

Halitosis (bad breath)

Propensity for cavities

Propensity for gum disease

Low, husky, hoarse voice

Bleeding gums

Receding gums

Irritated gums

Swollen gums

Persistent teeth clenching

TMJ

Ears:

Oversensitive hearing

Noises in ears (hissing, ringing)

Deafness

Tinnitus

Internal itching of ears

Dry, scaly ear canal

Excess earwax

Vertigo

Eyes:

Poor focusing

Double vision

Dry eyes

Gritty eyes

Achy eyes

Blurred vision

Drooping eyelids

Sensitive to light

Frequent tics in the eyes

Spasms of the eyelids

Bulging of the eyeballs

Red inflamed eyes

Dark rings under eyes

Puffiness around the eyes

Rapidly shifting gaze making you feel dizzy

Problems with night vision

Glaucoma

Cataracts

Hair:

Hair loss

Dry hair

Frizzy hair

Brittle hair

Coarse hair

Finer hair

Premature baldness

Premature gray hair

Change in hair texture

Body hair loss

Eyelash loss

Facial hair in women

Thinning or loss of outside third of eyebrows

Nails:

Brittle

Pale

Soft

Yellowish

Ridged

Striated

Thickened

Ingrown toenails

Skin:

Dry skin

Dry itchy scalp

Flaky skin

Cracked heels

Coarse patches

Yellowish or amber tint to their skin

Dry mucous membranes

Pale skin

Pale lips

Boils

Pigmentation in skin creases

Rashes

Skin tags

Dermographia (wheals)

Eczema

Impetigo

Cellulitis

Easy bruising

Tendency to form blood clots

Slow wound healing

Hemophilia

Bumps on legs

Acne

Breakout on chest and arms

Raynaud’s Phenomenon (discoloration of digits)

Chronic itching

Varicose veins

Premature aging

Melasma

Parchment-like fine wrinkles

Red butterfly patch over cheeks and nose

Absence or diminished perspiration

Moles and warty growths

Lichen Sclerosus

Vitiligo

Allergies

Hives

Numbness and Tingling:

Legs

Feet

Arms

Hands

Back

Face

Pain:

Migraines

Chronic headaches

Chronic back and loin pain

Wrist pain

Muscles and joint pain

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (hands or forearms)

Tarsal Tunnel syndrome (legs)

Joint stiffness

Tendonitis

Heel spur

Plantar fasciitis

Arthritis

Gout

Painful soles of feet

Muscle cramps

Aching bones

Aching muscles

Joint pain

Fibromyalgia

Digestion:

Constipation

Hemorrhoids

Hard stools

Loss of appetite

Food allergy

Food sensitivity

Alcohol intolerance

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Lactose intolerance

Celiac Disease

Gluten sensitivity/intolerance

Colitis

Abdominal distention

Weight gain in abdominal area

Protruding abdomen in children

Diverticulosis

Excess gas

Flatulence

Nausea

Ulcers

Acid reflux

Excessive belching

GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)

Menstrual Disorders:

Cessation of periods (amenorrhoea)

Scanty (light) periods (oligomenorrhoea)

Heavy periods (menorrhagia)

Irregular periods

Very short cycles

Very long cycles

Severe cramping

Failure to ovulate

Constant bleeding

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

Premenstrual tension (PMT)

Extreme bloating and water retention

Premature or delayed puberty

Premature or delayed menopause

Difficult menopause

Hysterectomy

Endometriosis

Ovarian fibroids

PCOS

Reproductive Disorders and Pregnancy:

Infertility

Miscarriage

Still birth

In vitro fertilization failure

Donor egg failure

Abnormal estrogen levels

Abnormal progesterone levels

Abnormal testosterone levels

Drop in sperm count

Erectile dysfunction

Loss of libido

Sexual dysfunction

Vaginal dryness

Painful sex

Breasts leaking milk (but not lactating or breastfeeding)

Fibrocystic breast disease

Maternal anemia

Gestational diabetes

Pre-eclampsia

Placental abruption

Postpartum hemorrhage

Prolonged labor

Inability to dilate

Poor wound healing

Pain in and around c-section scar

Difficulty breast-feeding

Low breast milk supply

Premature birth

Low birth weight

Long gestation

High birth weight

Newborns with deficits in intellectual development

Newborns with jaundice

Autism

ADD/ADHD

Birth defects

Emotional:

Tension

Irritability

Wanting to be solitary

Mood swings

Anxiety

Personality changes

Feelings of resentment

Jumpy

Easily startled

Lack of confidence

Nervousness

Other Related Conditions:

Adrenal fatigue

Anemia

Hyponatremia (low blood sodium)

Lack of coordination

Clumsiness

Tendency to fall

Dizziness

Fainting episodes

Tremor

Growth disturbances in children

Chronic allergies

Chemical sensitivities

Restless Leg Syndrome

Rhabdomyolysis (destruction of skeletal muscle)

Scoliosis

Osteoporosis

Hernia

Brain:

Depression

Panic attacks

Memory loss

Confusion

Brain fog

Mental sluggishness

Poor concentration

Noises and/or voices in head

Hallucinations

Delusions

Mania

Phobias

Obsessions

Alcohol & substance abuse

Rage

Loss of drive

Personality disorders

Schizophrenia

Postpartum depression

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Nightmares

Bipolar

Suicide

ADHD

Dementia

Alzheimer’s disease

Parkinson’s disease

Kidney and Bladder:

Albuminuria (protein in urine)

Urinary incontinence

Frequent need to urinate

Decreased output of urine

Interstitial cystitis (chronic bladder problems)

Urinary incontinence while sleeping

Kidney stones

Recurrent kidney infections

Recurrent bladder infections

Irritable bladder syndrome

Chronic kidney failure

Gallbladder:

Gallbladder Disease

Gallstones

Liver:

Liver tenderness and enlargement

Congestion of the liver

Elevated liver enzymes

Hypoglycemia

Lungs:

Asthma

Bronchitis

Emphysema

Difficulty breathing

Air hunger

Pleural effusion (fluid around the lung)

Shortness of breath

Tightness in chest

Pneumonia

Heart:

High blood pressure

Low blood pressure

Slow/weak pulse (under 60 bpm)

Fast pulse (over 90 bpm at rest)

Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)

Skipped beats

Heart flutters

Heart palpitations

Chest pain

High cholesterol

High triglycerides

High LDL (“bad”) cholesterol

Mitral Valve Prolapse

Atherosclerosis

Coronary Artery Disease

Elevated C-Reactive Protein

Fibrillations

Plaque buildup

Fluid retention

Poor circulation

Enlarged heart

Congestive heart failure

Stroke

Heart attack

Cancer:

Skin cancer

Thyroid cancer

Prostate cancer

Endocrine cancers

Lung cancer

Breast cancer

I told you it would be an unbelievably long list. Were you ready for that?

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Dana Trentini M.A., Ed.M., founded Hypothyroid Mom October 2012 in memory of the unborn baby she lost to hypothyroidism. This is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for consulting your physician regarding medical advice pertaining to your health. Hypothyroid Mom includes affiliate links including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Connect with Dana on Google+

Comments

I have Hashimoto’s and am on a low dose Synthroid. It made such a huge difference in how I feel. But finding a doctor that was willing to do that? Pfffttt. It was always “Your T3 and T4 looks fine. You’re fine.” Oh yeah? Tell my body that. Finally a fantastic family medical doctor was like “You can have Hashimoto’s without having Hypothyroidism right off – but you will most likely eventually have Hypothyroidism because of the Hashimoto’s.”

And when that doctor stop practicing medicine, my new doctor wouldn’t refill my Synthroid, and so I went years without it before switching doctors (twice) and finally finding one that listened to me.

If you feel that something isn’t right, always ALWAYS get a second or third opinion.

Stefanie Mayer, I felt the same way when I read all these symptoms. Probably everybody on earth has more than a few of these symptoms but only a small proportion of people are hypothyroid. What I get out of it though is that I have a collection of these symtoms and when I go to the doctor they can’t seem to find anything wrong. They look at my tsh and it comes up normal with the amount of thyroid medication I am taking so they say I am fine. When I saw this website it is the first time I have heard that even if you are diagnosed and take your meds like clock work, you can continue to have many of the same symptoms. So I think there is more to hypothyroid treatment than taking meds. Unfortunately though I think modern medicine hasn’t caught up to the disease or condition yet. But this website helped me see that I am not a hypochondriac.

I am desperate for help…I am a 47-year-old female suffering from Hashimoto’s since my early 20s. I took levothyroxine for several years with no problems until my doctor tried to get my TSH down to 2. That’s when all my troubles began. Since that day, any form of thyroid hormone at any dose gave me heart palpitations. Therefore, I took myself off meds and maintained a TSH of 8 with few problems. However, this past year my stress has skyrocketed and I have developed severe palpitations without taking thyroid meds. My TSH is now over 16. I’ve been to a cardiologist and he says my palpitations are benign. My endo says it’s stress. The palpitations are getting so bad that I can barely function. I have severe insomnia, anxiety, night sweats and periods of tachycardia. My endo has tested me for Graves and cortisol issues. Everything comes back normal. I’m trying to sort through all the symptoms of hypothyroidism, perimenopause and stress. The symptoms are all a blur and overlap. I’m at my breaking point and need some relief. My insomnia is so bad with my palpitations that I’ve resorted to beta blockers (which do not help) and Xanax (which only makes me tired). Thank you in advance for any advice you may have.

Your under medicated .You need to find the right Levo to take what your body is happy with I take Warwick and I only take that brand has the other brands do not agree with I use to get paptation, brain fog Anxiety and it you have Hashimotos you need to go gluten free witch will help you a lot.

tammy c.. you may want to read the book by anthony william. thyroid healing, he also has a video that you can listen to. it’s called soundcloud, it is very important, i think you will be surprised with the information that you will get out of listening to him!